The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-04-10

LATKA NEWS office i'm time for SUNDAY
paper. The very full dispatches sent
during the week have advised the read
ers of THE News as to the most import
ant events that have transpired. and the
weekly letter. therefore, will consist of
notes and items and minor details not
sent by wire but of almost equal interest
To the readers of THE NEWS with the
matter contained in the dispatches.
THE ORGANIZATION.
Nothing could be more satisfactory.
perhaps. than the organization of the
two houses. The selection of Capt Pasco
for Speaker of the House. was "A grace
full and appropriate tribute to the high
character and long and faithful services
of that gentleman. The Chief Clerk. Mr.
w. III. ReynolIs.and his assistant. Mr.. ID.
q. Mcleod, have had long and thorough
training in the positionsthey occupy. Mr..
Reynolds was Recording Clerk Of the
Assembly in 1888. Chief Clerk i'm 1885.
and Chief Secretary of the Constitution
al Convention in the same year: Mr..
Mcleod. who has served i'm public bodies
since ls.5, was Mr.. Reynolds AS
sistant in 1885. They do good work, and
their Journals are the best that have been
furnished the State Printer for many a
year.
The ;. r. q eInt-at-Arms, Mr.. John Spar
row. of Gad>.ien, IL a worthy and pains
taking official and manages his staff of
able assistants with ability and satisfac-
tion to the members
Nat Walker. editor of the Wakulla
Times. makes good reading clerk. and
looks well. Everybody knows old Nat,
and how he looks. When he adds to
his long g-tailed surtout and ambrosial
locks the astonishing effect of an i'm
mense pair of green goggles. he is a
holy terror To the members from the
rural districts and::they regard him with
awe-and he is truly awful.
Our own member" Walter Davis, is
the pet of the house. as he was Of the
constitutional convention. and the other
pages. McC;ribb and BrevarI. of Talla-
hassee. are not far behind him in.faithful,
courteous attendance and deserved pOpu-
larity.
The Senate, less conservative than the
House, changes its officers at every SEES
sion. but has "A good force nevertheless,
with Mr.. Chas. \. Finley, editor of the
Lake City RepOrter. at its head as Secre-
tary. His assistant, Mr.. Geo. l.. BaltZell.
of Jackson County, is also a newspaper
i II. IL
Courier. He has had much experience
and will make n good record as Journal
Clerk. Another editor. Mr. w. w. Moon,
of the Starke Telegraph and Baker COun-
fy star. is Sergeant alarms. The pre-
siding officer. Lieutenant Governor Ma
bry, is almost. if not quite. the equal Of
Hon. II. w. Davis as presiding officer.
and devotes himself to the despatch of
business with an energy and success
which is quite apparent in the results of
each days session.
PERSONNEL OF THE TWO HOUSES.
The Senate contains, besides the old
members who hold over from last SEES
sion. a number of familiar faces among
Chaires. of Taylor: Moreno. of Monroe,
Judge of Santa Rosa: the venerable Gen.
Miller. of Washington: Talbot of Column
bia: Walker, Jr.. of Leon; Bryan, of
Orange. and Blackwell. of Suwanee, all
of whom have seen much public service
in former Legislatures and in the Con-
Convention.
There has developed. as yet, no indi-
cations of contention for leaderships.
The members holding over naturally fall
into the routine with much more facility
than the new comers." but they will
find strong and abler competitors among
the latter when the newness wears off.
In the House, the members are, Of
course, all newly elected, but very many
are old and experienced Legislators, in
cIuding Messrs. Bitch. of Levy; Camp
bell. of Walton: Peoples, of Hamilton.
Duncan. of Sumter: Clark, of Jackson:
Evan. of Dade; Hicks. Of Franklin; Nc
Clellan. of Calhoun; Pelot, of Manatee:
Saxon. of Hernando: Gooibread, Of La
Fayette: Spear. of Gadsden: Tompkins,
Of Columbia: Carr. Frazier and Mitchell,
Of Leon: Gibbs, of Duval. and a number |
of others. Among the newcomers
many well-known faces appear. Space |
forbids extended mention II each IN
this letter. but the names of some are
very likely To be seen often in future |
journals and dispatches i'm connection |
with the important legislation Of the ses-
sion.
Putnam has a good delegation in |
Messrs. Fowler, Hind and Carleton, who, |
of an honest and sincere desire to serve |
the people of the county faithfully and
well.
Among the new members Messrs. La |
than of fernando. Bielby Of Volusia,
Jones and Farnell Of Columbia, Hall of
Alachua, Lamar Of jefferson, Drake Of
Baker. Curry Of Monroe. Baskin Of Ma
riOn. and others seem likely to take high
positions in the future work Of the ses- |
sion. Ii has been heard on the streets |
that either Mr.. Hicks of Franklin. whose |
ability and affability, supplemented by a |
pleasing humor. are well known, or the |
talented young member from Jefferson,
Lamar or the sedate and thoughtful La
than of fernando, will assume the
position Of leadership; but the subjects
with which this Legislature is to grapple
are calculated to bring To the surface
whatever of unrecognized talent may